Your recent notice of Bayberry candles recalls to mind a much more ancient and equally interesting means of domestic illumination, the rushlight. On account of the literary interest attaching to the rush-light, a lady of my acquaintance had a few rushes stripped of their bark, leaving only the pith and a narrow thread of the cortical substance, which served to give strength to what was left of the rush. The latter was then dipped a few times in tallow. When lighted in a dark room such a taper will afford a rather feeble glimmer. The truth is, however, that rush-pith is not a very good wick, for it has but a slight degree of capillarity.

Some years ago there was a proposal made by somebody to establish, or have the U. S. government establish, a National Botanical Garden, somewhere in Southern Florida. The idea always has seemed to me an admirable one.